Hey guys, I'm really keen to try a watermelon wheat beer for my next brew and I'm currently doing partial mashes, but can't find a partial mash recipe. I have however found a couple of all grain recipes and a few extract recipes so have conjured up a partial mash recipe and am looking for some advice and opinions before I brew(and potentially brew swamp water + waste my time + money).

My main questions are;
-I've never done a brew that involves fresh fruit juice, any tips or guidelines to follow?
-Is the Safale WB06 my best yeast option?
-What hops should I use, how much and what additions would you guys recommend?
-and overall, does this recipe look ok? any tweaks you'd suggest?

Thanks guys!
edit: just converted the recipe so hopefully more people can make sense of it and chime in

I have a go-to watermelon wheat recipe that I have made as extract, partial mash, and all grain. Basically similar to yours but I use 50/50 pale and wheat malt (or equivalent extract) to get about 1.052 OG.

My take on your questions:
- Have some headspace or blow off tube, mine explodes when I rack onto the juice. There is a thread in the recipe database where DubbelDach shows pics of how he juices the watermelon, I use his technique.
- I like wyeast 1010, can't help you with the WB-06 never used it
- I hop with Perle: 2 additions at 60 and 10 min to get a total about 25 IBU (something like 0.75 oz each addition for a 5 gallon batch).
- Not sure what your mean by steep 20 min, mash 1 hour. I usually go a little lower on the mash temp like 151-152F, for 1 hour. I boil 90 min on recipes using pilsner malt but that's a pretty small amount you have, may not be a big deal.

Edit: you know i just looked up the WB-06. Sounds like it gives off esters and phenolics like a germen hefe. I would personally recommend a cleaner yeast for this so you don't clash or mask the watermelon (it's a pretty subtle flavor). I'd do Wyeast 1010 or WL-320, but if you want to go dry even something like S-05.

Hey chickypad, cheers for your input. I was actually considering using a wyeast pack, but have never done so before, so wanted to get some more info and in the mean time see what people thought of the WB06. My LHBS doesn't seem to stock 1010, any other suggestions? and is a 125ml pack enough for this brew? As for hops, my LHBS has a massive range, including Perle, so I'll see what others think as well.

and I think I need to change my mash technique. I got a pamphlet from a brew shop about 'easy partial mashing' and have since been questioned a few times about my technique, haha

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickypad

I have a go-to watermelon wheat recipe that I have made as extract, partial mash, and all grain. Basically similar to yours but I use 50/50 pale and wheat malt (or equivalent extract) to get about 1.052 OG.

My take on your questions:
- Have some headspace or blow off tube, mine explodes when I rack onto the juice. There is a thread in the recipe database where DubbelDach shows pics of how he juices the watermelon, I use his technique.
- I like wyeast 1010, can't help you with the WB-06 never used it
- I hop with Perle: 2 additions at 60 and 10 min to get a total about 25 IBU (something like 0.75 oz each addition for a 5 gallon batch).
- Not sure what your mean by steep 20 min, mash 1 hour. I usually go a little lower on the mash temp like 151-152F, for 1 hour. I boil 90 min on recipes using pilsner malt but that's a pretty small amount you have, may not be a big deal.

Edit: you know i just looked up the WB-06. Sounds like it gives off esters and phenolics like a germen hefe. I would personally recommend a cleaner yeast for this so you don't clash or mask the watermelon (it's a pretty subtle flavor). I'd do Wyeast 1010 or WL-320, but if you want to go dry even something like S-05.

White labs 320 would be the equivalent, or for dry yeast I'd use S-05. I always do a starter with liquid but I suppose you could get away with one vial or pack since it's lowish gravity. One packet of S-05 would do it.